Overview

• Ultra 3 targets athletes and off-grid users with a brighter 3,000-nit display, dual-frequency GPS, satellite SOS/Messages/Find My, and 5G RedCap support.
• Battery life is the biggest divider: Ultra 3 is rated at up to 42 hours (72 hours in Low Power) versus Series 10 at up to 18 hours (36 in Low Power), and Series 11 is listed at up to 24 hours compared with 42 hours on the original Ultra.
• Durability and water use split the lines: Ultra 3 carries WR100 with EN13319 certification for recreational diving to 40 meters, while Series models are WR50 with depth tracking to 6 meters.
• Pricing remains a key factor, with Series starting at $399 and Ultra at $799, and the first‑gen Ultra often available below list through retailers.
• Core health and watchOS features are shared across models, but newer releases add highlights such as hypertension notifications and the S10 chip in Series 11 versus the older S8 in the first‑gen Ultra.